Planting machine and size-adjustable hopper therefor

ABSTRACT

A conveniently filled hopper for seed to be planted comprises hopper sections mounted in mutually spaced, side-by-side relationship on a vehicular frame provided with running gear. The spacing of the seed hoppers and of planting means carried thereby relative to one another can be adjusted in accordance with crop row spacing. Each set of mutually adjacent, sloping bottom walls of mutually adjacent hopper sections is freely straddled by a ridge plate that accommodates different spacings of such walls. Likewise, in preferred embodiments which have mutually adjacent hopper section end walls that rise above the bottom walls, end plates bridge such end walls to close the spaces therebetween regardless of the extent of spacing of the hopper sections. The hopper structure itself can be used for many different purposes and can be variously mounted depending upon the particular use.

United States Patent Herrett I a [54] PLANTING MACHINE AND SIZE-ADJUSTABLE HOPPER THEREFOR [72] Inventor: Wilfred H. Herrett, Filer,Idaho [73] Assignee: Acme Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Filer, Idaho 221 Filed: Aug. 12, 1970 21 App1.No.:63,084

52 us. C1. ..111/73, 220/20, 239/673 511 lnt.Cl ..A0lc5/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..111/73, 83, 61; 220/8, 22.1, 220/4, 20; 239/668, 673; 222/176,177, 178,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,321 4/1914 Ellis..111/73 2,799,424 7/1957 Good ..220/8 1,000,955 8/ 191 1 Shepherd..220/8 2,648,464 8/1953 Weeks .l1l/73 X r 2,299,702 10/1942 Mose]..220/20 7 1,940,008 12/1933 Mosgrove ..,..239/673 X [151 3,683,829 51Aug. 15, 1972 Primary ExaminerR0bert E. Bagwill Assistant ExaminerR. T.Rader Att0rneyMallinckrodt & Comaby [57] ABSTRACT A conveniently filledhopper for seed to be planted comprises hopper sections mounted inmutually spaced, side-by-side relationship on a vehicular frame providedwith running gear. The spacing of the seed hoppers and of planting meanscarried thereby relative to one'another can be adjusted in accordancewith crop row spacing. Each set of mutually adjacent, sloping bottomwalls of mutually adjacent hopper sections is freely straddled by aridge plate that accommodates different spacings of such walls.Likewise, in preferred embodiments which have mutually adjacent hoppersection end walls that rise above the bottom walls, end plates bridgesu'ch end walls to close the spaces therebetween regardless of theextent of spacing of the hopper sections. The hopper structure itselfcan be used for many different purposes and can be variously mounteddepending upon the particular use.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMIBIS m2 3,683,829

F i i'z TOR. WILFRED H. HERRETT \j f5, ATTORNEYS PLANTING MACHINE ANDSIZE-ADJUSTABLE HOPPER THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field Theinvention relates in general to hopper or bin construction and inparticular to seed planting machines utilizing seed hoppers supplyingseed to planting means provided in multiple for planting a plurality ofcrop rows at a time.

State of the Art Heretofore, it has been necessary to provide individualhoppers for individual planting shoes in planting machines utilizingaplurality of planting shoes arranged for adjustment in their spacingrelative to one another to accommodate the different spacing of croprows in the planting of different crops. This has necessitatedindividual loading of the individual hoppers,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention,individual hopper sections are provided for individual planting shoes ina planting machine, but these are formed for integration into a single,large, size-adjustable hopper, so that the several hopper sections canbe conveniently filled in common. Size adjustment to accommodate changesin crop row spacing is provided for by making the individual hoppersections with convergent bottom walls and by providing a ridge. plate tofreely cover the space between mutually adjacent bottom walls ofmutually adjacent hopper sections, there being as many of such ridgeplates as there are sets of mutually adjacent bottom walls. The hoppersections preferably have end walls rising above the bottom walls, andend plates are provided for bridging the spaces between mutuallyadjacent end walls of mutually adjacent hopper sections. In the plantingmachine, the individual hopper sections are mounted on mutually spacedsub-frames that are adjustably positioned on a vehicular frame, and suchhopper sections have seed-planting shoes associated therewith so that aplurality of crop rows can be planted at the same time.

THE DRAWING An embodiment of the invention in the form of plant ingmachine for seed potatoes is illustrated in the accompanying drawing asthe best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 represents a view in rear elevation of the planting machine;

FIG. 2, a similar view showing a wider spacing of the hoppers followingadjustment from the condition of FIG. 1, portions of the hopper wallsbeing broken out for convenience of illustration and to reveal the newpositions of ridge plates and end plates; and

FIG. 3, a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing apresently preferred arrangement of supporting means for the individualhopper sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT The illustrated plantingmachine for seed potatoes is largely of known construction. Thus, itcomprises a vehicular frame provided with running gear indicatedgenerally at 11. Mounted for sidewise adjustment on the frame 10 aresub-frames 12, FIG. 3 carrying respective hopper section 13. Plantershoes 14 of conventional type are secured to respective sub-frames andserve to receive seed potatoes from hopper sections 13 and to depositthem in respective crop rows.

These shoes serve as planting means associated with the respectivehopper sections for sidewise adjustment therewith when the sub-frames 12are adjusted to vary the spacing between mutually adjacent hoppersections to conform to any given spacing of crop rows in a field to beplanted. The hopper sections 13 are joined, as will appear hereinafter,to form a single large hopper that can be conveniently filled across itsentire width simul taneously.

As illustrated, the sub-frames 12 are adjustably secured at front andback to cross-members 10a of the frame 10 by means of clamps 15 securedin position by bolts 15a. The vehicular frame 10 includes, in additionto the cross-members 10a (which may serve as tool bars), axle housing 16and tongue 17. The latter is adapted for hitching to a conventional farmtractor used to tow the planting machine through the field duringoperation thereof. Cross-members 10a are rigidly secured to the tongueand the axle housing, respectively, as shown.

In this embodiment, hopper sections 13 are specially formed for sidewiseadjustment relative to each other and for temporary joinder in any givenadjusted position. Since there are only two hopper sections in theillustrated machine, each is formed with an outside wall 13a risingabove convergent bottom walls 13b and 13c, and with front and rear endwalls 13d, respectively, also rising above such bottom walls and to thesame height as the outside wall 130. Each of these hopper sections issecured to a corresponding sub-frame 12 by sets of legs 18 and 19.

For joining the hopper sections 13 regardless of the extent of theirspacing relative to each other, a ridge plate 20 is set freely over themutually adjacent but spaced bottom walls 13c of the mutually adjacenthopper sections, thereby closing the space therebetween, see therelatively narrow space 21, FIG. 1, and the relatively wide space 22,FIG. 2. Similarly, end plates 23, respectively, are provided to bridgethe spaces, see 24, FIG. 1, and 25, FlG. 2, between mutually adjacentend walls 13d .of the mutually adjacent hopper sections 13. Such endplates are preferably attached to the corresponding hopper end walls bybolts 26 passing through slots 27 in the end plates so as to provide forspacing adjustments of the hopper sections.

It should be realized that in instances of more than two hoppersections, the intermediate sections will not be provided with a sidewall 13a. Also, while it is advantageous to construct the hopper asillustrated, the side and end walls need not rise higher than thesloping bottom walls in order to achieve the advantages of the tie-inbetween hopper sections that is provided by a ridge plate or plates.Again, the end plates may be formed integrally with opposite ends of theridge plate if desired. Also, considerable variation in the constructionof vehicular frame and sub-frames is possible. In fact, the legs 18 and19 can rest on and be adjustably secured to the main frame, so as to ineffect take over the roll of the sub-frames.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect toa certain preferred form thereof, it is to be understood that manyvariations are possible without departing from the inventive conceptsparticularly pointed out in the claims.

I claim:

1. A planting machine, comprising a vehicular frame provided withrunning gear and adapted to support a seed-containing hopper and meansfor simultaneously planting a plurality of crop rows; a plurality ofsubframes mounted in side-by-side relationship on said vehicular framefor sidewise adjustment relative to each other; a hopper assembly forcontaining and dispensing seed, said hopper assembly including aplurality of mutually spaced, seed-dispensing hopper sections mounted onsaid sub-frames, respectively, for sidewise adjustment therewithrelative to each other, said hopper sections having convergently slopingbottom walls, the upper ends of adjacent bottom walls of said hoppersections being spaced apart along mutually adjacent sides thereof; aridge plate for each set of mutually adjacent bottom walls of mutuallyadjacent hopper sections, said ridge plate being received on andstraddling said mutually adjacent bottom walls so as to close therespective spaces therebetween, whereby said hopper sections can beadjusted in spacing relative to one another and joined for filling incommon as a single hopper; and a corresponding plurality of plantingmeans associated with the respective hopper sections for sidewiseadjustment therewith and with said subframes.

2. A planting machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hoppersections also have end walls rising above the bottom walls, and endplates are provided to bridge the spaces, respectively, between mutuallyadjacent end walls.

3. A planting machines in accordance with claim 2, wherein therespective end plates are adjustably attached to the corresponding setsof mutually adjacent end walls of the hopper sections.

4. A size-adjustable hopper structure, comprising a plurality ofmutually spaced hopper sections mounted for sidewise adjustment relativeto one another, said hopper sections having convergently sloping bottomwalls, the upper ends of adjacent bottom walls of said hopper sectionsbeing spaced apart along mutually adjacent sides thereof; a ridge platefor each set of mutually adjacent bottom walls of mutually adjacenthopper sections, said ridge plate being freely received on andstraddling said mutually adjacent bottom walls so as to close therespective spaces therebetween, whereby said hopper sections can beadjusted in spacing relative to one another and joined for filling incommon as a single hopper; and means mounting said hopper sections forsaid sidewise adjustment relative to one another.

5. A size-adjustable hopper structure in accordance with claim 4,wherein the hopper sections also have end walls rising above the bottomwalls, and end plates are provided to bridge the spaces, respectively,between mutually adjacent end walls.

6. A size-adjustable hopper structure in accordance with claim 5,wherein the respective end plates are'adjustably attached to thecorresponding sets of mutually adjacent end walls of the hoppersections.

1. A planting machine, comprising a vehicular frame provided withrunning gear and adapted to support a seed-containing hopper and meansfor simultaneously planting a plurality of crop rows; a plurality ofsub-frames mounted in side-by-side relationship on said vehicular framefor sidewise adjustment relative to each other; a hopper assembly forcontaining and dispensing seed, said hopper assembly including aplurality of mutually spaced, seeddispensing hopper sections mounted onsaid sub-frames, respectively, for sidewise adjustment therewithrelative to each other, said hopper sections having convergently slopingbottom walls, the upper ends of adjacent bottom walls of said hoppersections being spaced apart along mutually adjacent sides thereof; aridge plate for each set of mutually adjacent bottom walls of mutuallyadjacent hopper sections, said ridge plate being received on andstraddling said mutually adjacent bottom walls so as to close therespective spaces therebetween, whereby said hopper sections can beadjusted in spacing relative to one another and joined for filling incommon as a single hopper; and a corresponding plurality of plantingmeans associated with the respective hopper sections for sidewiseadjustment therewith and with said sub-frames.
 2. A planting machine inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the hopper sections also have end wallsrising above the bottom walls, and end plates are provided to bridge thespaces, respectively, between mutually adjacent end walls.
 3. A plantingmachines in accordance with claim 2, wherein the respective end platesare adjustably attached to the corresponding sets of mutually adjacentend walls of the hopper sections.
 4. A size-adjustable hopper structure,comprising a plurality of mutually spaced hopper sections mounted forsidewise adjustment relative to one another, said hopper sections havingconvergently sloping bottom walls, the upper ends of adjacent bottomwalls of said hopper sections being spaced apart along mutually adjacentsides thereof; a ridge plate for each set of mutually adjacent bottomwalls of mutually adjacent hopper sections, said ridge plate beingfreely received on and straddling said mutually adjacent bottom walls soas to close the respective spaces therebetween, whereby said hoppersections can be adjusted in spacing relative to one another and joinedfor filling in common as a single hopper; and means mounting said hoppersections for said sidewise adjustment relative to one another.
 5. Asize-adjustable hopper structure in accordance with claim 4, wherein thehopper sections also have end walls rising above the bottom walls, andend plates are provided to bridge the spaces, respectively, betweenmutually adjacent end walls.
 6. A size-adjustable hopper structure inaccordance with claim 5, wherein the respective end plates areadjustably attached to the corresponding sets of mutually adjacent endwalls of the hopper sections.